Fasting Against Pride

C.S. Lewis called pride the worst sin because “[p]ride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

The truly humble man is a rare sight indeed.

Pride is also one of the most difficult sins to overcome. Lewis said, there is “no fault of which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves the more we dislike it in others.”

One of the benefits of fasting is it builds humility into one’s life.

It’s probably safe to say King David was tempted at one time or another with pride. After all he grabbed a lion by its mane and killed it, he felled the giant Goliath with a single stone and was one of the greatest military leaders that ever lived.

In fact, David’s people sang a song about him, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” I know its doesn’t sound like much of a song, but Arie Bar-David explained to me that it actually rhymes in Hebrew, which is good to know because otherwise it would probably cause Christians in the music industry to doubt the inerrancy of scripture.

Anyway, this great, brave, accomplished man, King David said “I humbled myself by fasting.” Psalm 35:13.

Now I don’t know whether that means David was being humble by fasting or whether fasting made David more humble. I will leave that to the Hebrew scholars. But whether fasting is a act of humility or a cause of it, both are a step in the right direction.

So, if you’ve grappled with any giants lately, if people are singing songs about you or you are unconscious of any pride in your life, consider fasting. GS

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